Connector position assurance devices are commonly known in the art. One such example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,101 to Garretson et al. Garretson teaches an electrical connector that includes a first connector body, a second connector body and a connector position assurance device. The first connector body has a lock ramp. The second connector body mates with the first connector body and has a lock arm that engages the lock ramp of the first connector body to lock the first and second connector bodies together when the first and second connector bodies are mated. The connector position assurance device is slidably retained on the connector body for assuring that the first and second connector bodies are properly mated and locked together. The connector position assurance device has a top wall and depending side walls at respective longitudinal edges of the top wall. The top wall has a depending pusher portion at one end for pushing the lock arm into engagement with the lock ramp. And, the connector position assurance device has a target portion at the opposite end of the top wall for applying a force to the connector position assurance device.
As demonstrated by way of example only in Garretson, the conventional connector position assurance devices use the top wall that is stressed permanently when the connector position assurance device is engaged. Also, by way of example only in Garretson, the top wall is used as a lever for releasing the conventional connector position assurance device. This results in a loss of feeling by the user in releasing the conventional position assurance device.
It would be beneficial to provide a connector position assurance device that is not permanently stressed when engaged with a connector assembly. It would also be beneficial to provide a connector position assurance device that has a lever that can be directly depressed by a user to release the connector position assurance device. The present invention provides these benefits.